Fablehaven: The Caverns of Gullfoss
by LoLov1842
Summary: Fairies are disappearing from Fablehaven...The chase leads the Sorenson family to a secret ancient preserve in Iceland. This story takes place in the middle of the series, after book 2. Really the only other story line that matters is when many of the fairies are turned into imps. If you leave me a question, please log in! I can't respond to you if you comment as "guest"!
1. Chapter 1

Kendra Sorenson tucked her feet up under her and blew on the mug of hot chocolate. She watched the sky streak pink in the early morning light, and pulled her scarf tighter around her. She marveled at the garden, perfectly frozen beneath a layer of crisp, clear ice. Where other gardens would be brown and dead beneath the frost, the fairy magic preserved the flowers, so they were muted versions of their summer selves. The fairies were immune to the cold, so to them, winter simply meant that there were more shiny surfaces in which to see their own reflections. Kendra, on the other hand, had on two pairs of socks inside her wooly boots. She heard Hugo crashing around on the other side of the woods, and the rustle of the frozen leaves clattering together. A couple of fairies were flitting around near the porch, and Kendra began to hear bits and pieces of their conversation. "...don't know where to look!" "Disappeared without a trace. She didn't seem the type to run off..." Kendra strained to hear them. "Who disappeared?" The fairies turned to her with apparent annoyance, that Kendra would eavesdrop. "Niccola. She disappeared two days ago. The day after Brinda disappeared," the fairy with cotton candy pink hair and shimmery pastel wings replied. The electric yellow fairy next to her chimed in. "Don't forget Rubel last week." Kendra was surprised. "Does my grandfather know about this?" The fairies shrugged. Kendra took another sip of her hot chocolate and got up from the rocking chair. "I'll see if he has heard anything around the preserve."

Grandpa Sorenson was perplexed about the disappearance of the fairies. "I haven't heard anything unusual around the preserve. Perhaps you should look for Shiara? Maybe she will give us more information." Kendra nodded and exited the study. She reached for her coat and scarf, and bumped into Seth dashing around a corner. "Hey Seth, are you going out into the preserve?" Seth had a cookie in his mouth, and was putting a boot on one. Foot and a glove on one hand. He was falling all over the hallway, always in a rush. He mumled something around the cookie. Kendra raised an eyebrow. He swallowed the cookie and said, "I'm going to the satyr's tennis court...it is all frozen over, and they said we can skate." Kendra rolled her eyes. "Can you talk to them and find out if there is any talk about the missing fairies?" Seth looked puzzled. "Missing fairies?" Kendra relayed what she had overheard on the porch. "Weird. I'll ask around. See ya!" He raced out the door with only one glove, still pulling a hat over his head.

Kendra walked out into the garden to see if she could find Shiara. She called out quietly, and the blue fairy came floating out of an icy dogwood tree. Kendra questioned her about the disappearance of Niccola, Brinda and Rubel. Shiara nodded, her voice filling with worry. "Yes, all gone. No one seems to know where. The fairy queen has been unable to locate them, yet she has not felt the snapped connection that happens when a fairy dies." Kendra was even more curious. "Can't fairies travel to other locations?" Shiara nodded. "Yes, but it became very difficult when the shrine was destroyed. And the fairy queen should be able to detect them wherever they are." Kendra thought for a minute. "Were they friends? I don't remember Rubel. Didn't Niccola have bronze skin and coppery wings?" Shiara nodded. "Niccola was from the southwest desert, Brinda was from the Brazilian jungle, and Rubel was from Egypt. They were not friends in particular, but all three of them were at one point Imps. Niccola was quite vocal about having enjoyed her time as an Imp. The other two were mostly impartial." Kendra thought back to the earliest days she had spent at Fablehaven, when a plague had been unleashed on the preserve, and many of the fairies had turned evil. It might be coincidence, but it was a strange connection. "Thank you for your help, Shiara. Let me know if you hear anything else." Shiara bowed her head and then zipped off**.**

Seth sent a flat stone flying across the ice, using a bent stick as an improvised hockey stick. Doren sprawled across the iced over tennis court, missing the stone and diving onto the cold hard ground. Newell hooted with laughter. Seth dropped to one knee, breathing hard. "Time for a break." He followed the satyrs to where their prized possession, a large flat-screen TV was hidden away. The satyrs munched on some grass and purple flowers. Seth took a granola bar out of his pocket. "Have you heard anything about fairies disappearing?" The satyrs nodded, searching through the channels, clearly not paying much attention to his question. Seth cleared his throat. "Guys!" Doren looked over. "A few have gone missing. Probably ran off to another preserve. Too many here anyway, if you ask me." Seth scratched his head. "Where did they go missing from? Not the garden, right?" Newell shrugged. "Last seen in the woods, from what we hear. Heard a couple of brownies are gone too, though, and they don't usually leave preserves at all." Seth was genuinely puzzled**.**


	2. Chapter 2

Kendra entered back into the warm, cozy house, and wandered to the kitchen where Lena had multiple pots and pans, all filled with doughs and sauces covering every available surface. Lena adored holiday baking, and from November to February, the house consistently smelled of butter and spices. Lena smiled warmly at Kendra, and popped something with pumpkin into the lower oven. "Would you like some more hot chocolate, dear?" Lena asked, reaching for a mug. "No thanks!" Kendra said, shaking her head. "I came to ask you a question, actually. Have you heard anything about fairies disappearing from the preserve?" Lena's face clouded. "I overheard some of the fairies the other day, and your grandfather made a phone call about it earlier." Kendra nodded, stirring a pot of creamy liquid on the stove. Vanilla and cinnamon wafted up towards her face and she closed her eyes, inhaling the delicious scent. "I heard that at least some of the fairies that are missing used to be imps," She said. Lena looked surprised. "Well that is something I hadn't heard. I would tell your grandfather right away." Lena looked troubled. "Lena? Are there still demons that were never imprisoned in Zzyzx?" Lena sighed. "Demons, witches, and many other dark creatures. It would be impossible to catch and imprison all of them." Kendra felt a chill in her body that had nothing to do with the weather.

Seth ambled along the path back to the house, tossing a stone back and forth with Newel and Doren. Newel had a brand new blue and yellow scarf wrapped around his neck, and it kept unwinding and trailing along the ground.

"These television shows are just ridiculous," He was saying,as he tripped over the scarf again. "These 'reality' shows must be fake!" Seth laughed. He was about to reply, when they heard a high-pitched shriek from deep inside the forest. Instinctively, Seth and the satyrs ducked down off the path, behind a large boulder. Seth slipped on a patch of frozen moss, and bit his lip to keep from crying out as his shoulder slammed into the rock. There were two more shrieks before a thunderous cracking noise, and then silence. Seth motioned for Newel and Doren to wait, until they were sure it was gone.

Slowly they moved back onto the path, as the daylight grew weaker. They stared at each other for a moment, while Seth debated whether or not to try and find where the sound came from. The light of day was weakening, and the temperature was dropping. He knew he should probably go back to the house and get his grandfather, but by the time he got there, whatever made that noise might be gone. The satyrs looked doubtful, knowing exactly what Seth was thinking. Seth glanced once more in the direction of the house, then took his flashlight out of his survival pack, and began to creep through the woods. Newel and Doren glanced nervously at each other, and began to back away.

"Look at the time…" Doren started. "Can't believe we forgot…", "Important meeting…" they babbled. Seth gave a loud, "SHHH" and made a sharp hand motion for them to follow. They looked around apprehensively, and began to follow Seth.

Kendra walked into her grandfather's study, peering in the dark room. Her grandfather was not in the room, but there was a lantern lit on a side table, indicating that perhaps he had just left. There was an address book with phone numbers open on the desk, and it was open to the "J" section, and a pencil sat on the page, underneath the name "Arnmunder Jónsson". Kendra was puzzled. She had never heard her grandfather mention that name before. There was an open letter sticking out underneath the book, and Kendra glanced at some of the exposed words. "...energy readings…", "...disappearing…" "...water patterns…", all of it seemed like someone was discussing something out of the ordinary.

She heard footsteps approaching the study, and backed away quickly from the desk. Her grandfather appeared in the doorway, and gave a start when he saw Kendra. He walked towards his desk. "I was just discussing the fairy situation with your grandmother," Stan said, running a hand through his snow-white hair. "Warren brought the mail just as we were discussing what you have heard." He sat down in his chair, and closed the address book. "I received a letter from an old friend, one who served with us for years in the Knights of the Dawn. It seems as though we are not the only ones with something strange going on." Kendra felt her arms prickle with goosebumps, as her grandfather sighed heavily and picked up the letter.

Seth tried to head in the direction that the noise had come from, but now there was a strange silence that was disorienting in the thick woods. Suddenly he felt something flutter at his ear, and he jumped. A yellow fairy was fluttering, agitated, by his head, motioning for him to follow her. He looked back at Doren and Newel, and they waved him forward, retreating back towards the path. Seth followed the fairy forward, until they came to a dim, icy patch where there was a break in dense, overhead branches. There was a small pool of water, and something floating in the air above it. It was a gray, hazy patch of fog that moved lazily, hovering over the surface. The pool of water was starting to crystallize, as the cold froze it over.

As Seth neared it, he looked at the fairy. "Is it safe?" He whispered. She nodded, and flew over to the mist, darting in and out, as if to prove that nothing would happen. Seth reached out to touch the mist and it felt like regular fog. It was very cold and damp, and swirled in little trails when he moved his hand around. He looked at the fairy again. "Is this where that noise came from?" She nodded and tears welled in her eyes. "It took my sister! She was looking at herself in the water, and the mist grabbed her! She disappeared!" Seth looked confused. "The mist grabbed her?" The fairy nodded, miniscule droplets of water trailing down her cheeks. Seth grabbed a camera out of his pocket, and captured the mist on film. He put the camera away, and asked the fairy, "Can you take me back to the path? I need to show my grandfather. The fairy zipped away, and Seth jogged after her, heading back towards the house.


	3. Chapter 3

Kendra's grandfather removed his glasses and began to polish them with a gray cloth. "Arn stayed with us briefly on the preserve a long time ago, and was then moved on to another preserve. I hadn't heard from him in years." Kendra assumed that "Arn" was the "Arnmunder Jónsson" that she had seen in his address book.

"He was born in Iceland, but had not lived there permanently since he joined the Knights of the Dawn in his 20s. He confirmed today that when he left, he had been entrusted a secret preserve back in his homeland." Kendra raised her eyebrows. "And things are happening at his preserve as well?" Stan nodded. "Fairy disappearances, among other things. Arn's preserve is located at Gullfoss, a waterfall in Iceland. It is a stunningly beautiful place. It has a lake and geysers nearby. Around and under the waterfall are many caverns that are concealed by the same type of distractor spells that camouflage Fablehaven."

Kendra had a hard time imagining such a place. "Arn has noticed unusual spikes in the energy levels radiating from the caverns, and differences in the patterns of water flow. There are fairies disappearing, as they have been here." Kendra thought for a moment. "You should ask him if any of the disappearing fairies were ever Imps." Stan looked startled. "What?" Kendra nodded. "That's what I was coming to tell you. The fairies disappearing from here are the ones that were once fallen. And in particular, the ones that liked being dark fairies." Stan looked concerned. "Thank you, Kendra, that might be very important information." Kendra left the study and went back to the kitchen, to help Lena with dinner.

Kendra and her grandmother were setting the table, and Lena was putting the food into serving dishes, when Seth tumbled in through the front door. His face was flushed and his hair was disheveled, and he was sweating despite the cold. "Seth!" Grandma Sorenson looked surprised at the state of him. "What on earth is wrong?" Seth fumbled with the camera in his survival pack. He turned it on just as their grandfather walked in with a man and a woman following behind him. "Look at what I saw in the woods! There was a scream, and a big cracking noise, like thunder, and then this was left behind!" He turned the camera screen so everyone could see the mist and the pool of water. Grandma looked perplexed. "Strange that the camera caught it."

Anything that required special milk to see would never be captured on a man-made camera. This meant that the mist was something non-magical; it was truly a water mist that had been left behind. "The mist is made from a water portal," spoke a booming, accented voice. Everyone turned to see Grandpa Sorenson's guests. The man that had spoken was at least 6 and a half feet tall, with enormous broad shoulders and a scraggly blonde beard. The girl was at least 6 feet, thin and willowy with flowing blond hair. She looked much younger than the man. "I'd like you all to meet Arnmunder Jónsson, and his daughter Freyja."

Introductions were made all around, and Arn and his daughter sat down to eat with the Fablehaven clan. After enjoying Lena's delicious meal, Arn patted his mouth with a napkin and began to speak.

"I am the caretaker of Gullfoss, along with my wife Fjóla, my daughter Freyja and my son Sigmunder. Gulfoss is mostly in caverns. The deep crevasse that people usually see is actually part of the spells protecting it. At the bottom of the falls, there are several main building complexes, and the river winds back into some pretty rough terrain. Underneath the rocks surrounding the falls is an immense network of caverns. I myself have probably only seen about 30% of them." Kendra couldn't imagine the size of a place like Gullfoss.

Seth had stars in his eyes. "I bet you've got loads of creatures we don't have here!" He was on the edge of his seat, shoveling forkfuls of Lena's juicy roasted turkey and creamy mashed potatoes into his mouth. Arn chuckled, and Freyja grinned. "That is true. It is an adventurer's dream." Seth practically bounced in his seat, like a small child. "Oh grandpa, we HAVE to go and visit sometime!" Stan and Arn exchanged glances. Grandma Sorenson made a face. Kendra thought to herself that Gullfoss sounded like a terrible place for Seth. Lena got up and began clearing plates, and Kendra rose to help her.

"So, an adventurer's paradise, you say?" Seth was eager to hear more. Arn nodded and winked. "II have had my hands full in the past with this adventurer here." He gestured towards Freyja with a twinkle in his eye. Kendra raised her eyebrows. Freyja shrugged and blushed. "I was a curious child," she said quietly, smiling at Seth. Kendra almost laughed at the way Freyja kept glancing at Seth for his reactions. She knew exactly what was going on there. Arn wiped whipped cream from his beard with a napkin and rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "A curious child, youngster and teenager! The last time I got you out of a scrape was about two months ago!" Freyja protested. "I was just fine on my own! I had the Aiatar on the run!" Her father growled. "It was a baby, and it was a good thing you were wearing all white fur to blend with the snow." Seth furrowed his brows. "Avatar?" Freyja laughed, the sound a beautiful melody trickling out of her throat. "Aiatar...it is like…" She faltered with her English and lapsed into Icelandic, turning to her father to translate. "An Aiatar is like a giant serpent, with massive sharp antlers. Some cultures call it "the devil of the woods". We have two that we are aware of on the preserve, and we assumed they were both female. Apparently not, because my daughter had a run-in with a very young Aiatar in one of the salt caverns." Kendra leaned forward, interested. "What is a salt cavern?" Grandpa Sorenson cleared his throat. "Actually, you may get to see for yourself, Kendra." They all turned to look at him. He glanced at his wife, and she smiled reassuringly and placed a hand on his arm. "We are all going to accompany Arn back to Gullfoss, and help investigate."


	4. Chapter 4

The whole table was abuzz with excitement. Seth was up out of his seat, pacing around the room, exclaiming about the impending trip. Grandpa Sorenson informed them that a few others from the Knights of the Dawn would be arriving later that night, and that they would all be traveling the next morning to Iceland. Violeta Ruiz was a specialist in ancient runes, coming in from Spain, and Christopher MacDougal was an explorer driving up from Rhode Island that night. Collette Cheveaux, a history expert specializing in Norse mythology, was meeting them in Iceland. When the group at the table finally dispersed, Kendra and Seth went up to their room to pack. Kendra gave up trying to stuff bulky sweaters into her suitcase after a few minutes, and opened her laptop to search for Gulfoss. She gasped as stunning images filled the screen. She was showing the pictures to Seth, when there was a tap at the door.

Freyja's soft voice came from the other side. "May I come in?" Kendra opened the door. "Oh Freyja! I was just looking up Gullfoss. It is breathtaking!" Freyja smiled. "Wait until you see it in person. You can feel the energy down to your soul." Kendra felt giddy. Freyja's gaze kept flickering to Seth, who was animatedly pulling things out of drawers and tossing them onto the bed. She looked back at Kendra. "I am very happy you will be visiting. It is very rare that we have visitors. My only friend is my brother Sig." Kendra hadn't considered that children who grew up on preserves lived a lonely, albeit exotic, lifestyle. Freyja gestured towards the computer. "May I?" She asked. Kendra handed it over. "Here, let me show you the Aiatar, Seth." She typed the word into the search engine, and Seth abandoned his packing, leaping towards the other side of the room.

Seth and Freyja spent the next hour poring over images of the creatures that they might come across on their visit, until Grandma Sorenson came upstairs to tell them it was time to go to sleep. Freyja looked sad that she would have to leave their company, so Kendra quickly spoke up. "Grandma? Do you think Freyja could stay up here tonight? We have the inflatable mattress." Grandma looked at Freyja, whose face had lit up. "If it is alright with her father…" Freyja scrambled off to go get her sleeping bag. They slept very little that night, whispering and sharing stories, and listening to Violeta and Christopher arrive. They nodded off briefly in the early morning hours before Grandpa Sorenson came to wake them.

They landed in Reykjavik in the middle of a crisp, clear morning. Kendra had no idea what time it was. They had flown through multiple time zones, and she was tired. She had been too excited to sleep on any of the planes. The brisk cold woke her up slightly as they stepped outside the airport, and she recalled the incredible scenery that she had seen through the plane windows as they had begun their descent into Iceland. They had seen steam rising up from the ocean along the shoreline. Arn had explained that this was because of all of the hot springs. He told them that the name Reykjavik actually means "the smoky bay".

A tiny blond woman was scurrying across the terminal road, a hulking boy with the same features as Freyja trailing after her, dragging a rolling luggage trolley. Arn scooped up the woman in his arms and gave her a big kiss. She blushed pink and scolded him. "Arn! Put me down!" But she was smiling and touched his cheek. "I'm glad you're home." Introductions were made, and the group walked across the parking area to a truck and a beat up suburban. Both had heavy duty tires, snow chains, and plows attached to the front.

Kendra and Seth piled into the truck with Freyja, Sig and their mother. Sig took the wheel, and followed behind his father, driving the suburban with grandma and grandpa Sorenson, Christopher, Violeta and all of the luggage. Fjola talked as the truck rumbled away from the airport, and Kendra watched the craggy, mountainous backdrop against the winter blue sky. The ground was frozen, but only partially dusted with snow. It was about 34 degrees, so there was slush and mud pooling in sunken areas. It took them about 40 minutes to arrive in the city, which had a mix of well-cared for older building and sleek modern structures. They all got out to eat and shop for a while. Kendra bought soft gray sweater with a traditional Icelandic pattern around the neckline in white and black. They ate hot dogs made of lamb (Freyja taught them the word "pylsa"), and dessert pastries with "skyr" on it, a creamy sauce the consistency of yogurt, but made from skim milk. Arn and Fjóla ate some other strange-looking dishes, while Seth and Kendra scarfed the delicious lamb hot dogs piled high with fried onions and sweet mustard. They walked through the streets for a while, and went to the top of Hallgrímskirkja, a tower that offered a spectacular view of the whole city. Even Freyja and Sig seemed to enjoy themselves immensely, and Kendra was reminded that it was lonely for them living at Gullfoss.

After a while, Arn and Fjóla suggested that it was time to go. He smiled at their guests. "Gullfoss is an incredible sight to see in the afternoon light. It is best that we head out." They settled back into their vehicles as they began the hour-and-a-half journey northwest to the preserve.


	5. Chapter 5

As they neared the preserve, Seth elbowed Kendra, who had nodded off. She sat upright and rubbed her eyes. She noticed Sig gripping the wheel tightly and hunching over, staring intently at the road. Distractor spells, she realized. There were tourists climbing all over some rocks, and she suddenly saw a massive, roaring river, raging down what looked like three large steps. The dark brown rocks were dusted with a powdery coating of snow, and some small icicles had formed along the areas where the spray splashed upwards. The flowing water itself was a crystalline aqua color, almost tropical in hue. It appeared to drop off the face of the earth, as she had seen in pictures on the internet. She knew that the tourists would see a 100 foot drop off, and then nothing else down below, but that when she looked, she would see much more. All of a sudden she saw a large wrought iron gate looming up ahead.

The word "Gullfoss" was emblazoned in twisting script letters, and they rumbled to a stop as Arn got out to open the gate. He produced a large key from under his coat, which appeared to be shifting color in the light. It looked like metal, but the color changed from copper to bronze, and other shades like silver, gunmetal, gold and everything in between. "The key is made from Roxite, a rare metal that is mined here within the caverns. It has magical properties, and a key forged by a Roxite specialist can never be duplicated," Fjóla explained. Seth took an extra swab from the tin of walrus butter he carried in his backpack, eyes wide to his surroundings. They passed through the gate and immediately saw a tilting, dilapidated shed by the side of the road. It had four garage-type doors, and looked as though it would blow over when the next gust of wind came through.

Sig, visibly relaxing after passing through the distractor spell, clicked a button on the roof of the car, and one of the bay doors creaked and groaned its way up a track. He pulled the truck into the shed, and clicked the door closed again. It squealed and grinded its way back down, and they all got out of the car. The rest of the travelers were unloading from the next bay over. The farthest bay contained two snowmobiles, and the other one was empty. Kendra noticed a door in the back wall that was partially concealed by some shelves, two ladders, and stacked up bags of road salt. She wondered if that is where they were headed. "Tomorrow we can show you around the top of the falls, but for now let's get down to the grounds of the house and get you all settled. Seth was bouncing on the balls of his feet, practically jumping out of his skin to begin exploring. Arn grumbled as he kicked the ladders to the side with his leg, and slid the stack of salt bags over. "Sorry everyone, our groundskeeper must have piled all of this stuff here." He opened the door and Kendra peered into the darkness beyond.

A long twisting staircase led out of sight, presumably down into the rocks. It widened considerably once you stepped through, and an enormous wooden carts was attached to tracks running down alongside the stairs. It reminded Kendra of the mining carts from cartoons. She half expected the seven dwarves to come out singing "hi-ho" and swinging pickaxes. Seth was eyeing the cart excitedly, and whispered to Freyja, "can you ride in that thing?" Freyja looked around surreptitiously and whispered back, "We're not supposed to…" And she bit her lip and grinned. Seth laughed quietly. "How many times have you gone in it?" She looked around again. "Twelve." Seth shook his head. "I've never met a girl who likes danger!" He looked impressed. The group loaded all the bags into the cart. "Don't put anything fragile in there," warned Arn. When all the bags were arranged, he pushed a heavy lever on the wall and sent the cart rattling down the tunnel.

They all continued on foot down the stairs. Arn carried a bright lantern in the front, and he passed out a few others to various members of their crew. The air was cold and damp, but the walls of the stairwell felt vibrant. Kendra felt a pulsating energy radiating out of the stone, and they seemed bright to her. She was used to being immune to the darkness since she was Fairykind, but this was different. Fjóla watched Kendra curiously, as Kendra kept touching the walls. "You can feel it, yes?" Fjóla murmured behind her. Kendra nodded, and the older woman smiled dreamily. "There is so much beautiful energy here." Arn glanced back over his shoulder. "Ah yes, I had almost forgotten. I bet this place looks somewhat different to you, Kendra." Fjóla looked almost wistful. "I have always felt the power here, but I sense that you can see it as well! Incredible!" The group continued for a few minutes until the slope seemed to level out and they reached a hallway. When they opened the door at the end, Kendra gasped as she saw the landscape that awaited.

At the bottom of the falls, misty spray floated upwards in damp clouds, causing the surrounding landscape to appear hazy. Thick, spongy moss covered everything in sight, and the dampness made everything twinkle in dimming afternoon light. There were several stone buildings lining each side of the river, one that had a large red waterwheel creaking around as the river churned by. Pine trees were scattered all around the riverbanks, and everything was lush and green despite the cold weather. It felt much warmer down at the bottom. The river glowed with a jade green color, and flowed swiftly out of sight around a bend. There were slight paths worn in the stone riverbanks that led to each building, and a high stone bridge down where the river narrowed, past all of the structures. Some of the paths seemed to lead to nothing up against the tall stone cliffs. Kendra suspected there were entrances to the underground caverns. Arn disconnected the mining cart from the tracks, and he and Sig began pushing it towards the buildings. As they walked, Stan gestured towards the first building with the water wheel. "Our mill is used for several things. We have an actual working grain mill inside, as well as an energy harvester." Stan raised his eyebrows. "Now THAT I have to see!" Arn chuckled. He pointed to the next building. "That is mostly a storage building. The next one down houses Nadia." Stan looked surprised. "When did you get her from the Brazilian preserve?" Arn laughed. "She came to us almost 10 years ago, my friend." Stan smiled. "She's still not as big as our Viola." Kendra and Seth exchanged a grin. "Nadia must be their milch cow."

The waning daylight backlit the sheer rocky cliffs above them, and the crisp blue sky was beginning to streak with purple and pink twilight. The group continued past the storage and Nadia's building and crossed the bridge. The two smaller buildings on the other side belonged to the two groundskeepers, Lárus, who lived by himself, and Magnús, who lived with his wife Camila. Magnús and Camila's house was surrounded by lush, vibrant gardens, where fairies flocked to elegant birdbaths and exotic flowers that were brought from Brazil. Camila was one of the Knights of the Dawn, who had accompanied Nadia on the journey from Brazil, and had fallen in love with Iceland and Magnús, and stayed. She was exceptional with both plants and animals, and her magical green thumb ensured an immense variety of plant life and creatures around the property. She had also been studying potions and natural remedies in the last few years, and was able to tend to illnesses and sick creatures.

They continued on to the biggest building, which was the main house. From the outside it looked like a basic stone house, with a chimney on the side, but upon entering, there was a soft glow from lights and lanterns, and comfortable plush furniture all around. Woven rugs made from thick wool were scattered all around the ground floor, and heavy blankets sat on the backs of couches and chairs in the living room. The kitchen was spacious, and full of delicious food at the moment. Pots of warm drinks and soups were steaming, and two wooden tables had been pushed together and surrounded with mismatched chairs. It was so cozy and inviting, that Kendra immediately felt at home. When they walked in, a very tall, bronzed, curvaceous woman was standing at a stove, and a thin woman with pale skin, brown hair and wing-tipped glasses was sitting at the table, poring over a book.


	6. Chapter 6

Camila was stunningly beautiful, and was an amazing cook. As she was talented with vegetation, she was able to put together delicious ingredients, most of which were grown there in her garden. The woman with glasses who had been reading at the table was Collette Cheveaux. She was fascinated by Iceland, and had visited many time, although never to the preserve. There was a commotion as old friends embraced, and new introductions were made. Camila and Violeta were old friends, and had not seen each other in a very long time. They spoke together in a curious mix of Spanish, Portuguese and English. Collette was very quiet, and very young. Kendra learned that she was only 21, but had already earned an advanced degree in Anthropology, with concentrations in European mythology and anthropology. The group began discussing the geography of Gullfoss, and Arn explained about the Roxite.

"Roxite is unique to the caves at Gullfoss, and some caves on an abandoned preserve in Antarctica. The preserve is still guarded by magic and a groundskeeper, although the majority of the inhabitants have moved on. When Roxite is mined, it appears to be pebbles of an iron-like substance. Nothing that would attract much attention, or be very useful. However, when it is compressed with heat and energy from an intense natural source, such as the energy forces at work in these falls, it becomes pure Roxite metal, capable of stopping any non-magical force, as well as most magical forces. When combined with protective charms and enchantments, like the gates to Gullfoss, it is virtually unbreakable." Arn was quite animated. "Only a few Roxite items have ever left our preserve or the one in Antarctica. Several of them, unfortunately, are for the containment of some dark creatures." The group erupted in chatter after this revelation. As Camila began clearing dinner plates, Arn turned to Collette, who had been quiet during most of the meal. "Collette, my dear, could you please give our friends some background on Gullfoss?" Collette cleared her throat, turning pink in her cheeks and ears.

"Well, Gullfoss means "Golden Falls" in English. In the first half of the 20th century, its land was owned by Tómas Tómasson and Halldór Halldórsson. Foreign investors began trying to take over the land, in order to develop it. Tómas Tómasson lived on a nearby farm with his daughters, who loved the land immensely, and often acted as tour guides for those who came to see the falls. One in particular, Sigríður, loved these falls more than anyone." Collette gazed out the window at the darkening falls, seemingly entranced to be in a place with so much history.

"Around the turn of the century, English foreign investors came, determined to take over the falls, and offered Tómas and Halldór a great deal of money for the land. Tómas replied, 'I do not sell my friends.' As the investors were determined to take over and develop the land, Sigríður became known as the falls' fiercest protector. It was said that she often walked all the way to Reykjavik to protest and attend the courts. At one point, when it seemed that all was lost, Fjóla threatened to throw herself into the falls. She and her lawyer were eventually able to return Gullfoss to the people of Iceland. She was always known after that as the savior of Gullfoss."

Fjóla dabbed quietly at the corner of her eyes, and Arn had pride shining from his face. It was clear that their family revered Gullfoss as much as Sigríður and her family had, and the story was something that they took to heart as they guarded the preserve every day. Arn chimed in, "Her lawyer went on to be president of Iceland." Collette turned to Arn and Sig, and Kendra noticed that Sig looked enraptured by Collette's story as well. Arn was eyeing Sig from the side, and said, "There is a memorial to Sigríður up at the falls, with a carving of her and everything. I know you didn't get a chance to explore yet, Sig can take you up there tomorrow, if you would like." Sig jolted out of his reverie and turned bright red. He mumbled something and nodded, busying himself with frantic stirring of his coffee. Collette, also blushing deeply, smiled slightly and said, "That would be nice. Thank you." Kendra bit her lip to keep from chuckling, and she saw Freyja also attempting to hide a grin.

After dinner they were all led to different places in the house, where the family had set up various cots and couches for the visitors. Violeta had gone to stay with Magnús and Camila, and Christopher (or "Mac", as everyone had taken to calling him), went to stay in Lárus' home. Kendra shared a room with Freyja, and Seth shared with Sig. Kendra and Freyja began giggling about Collette and Sig, and their romantic hike in the morning. Kendra was almost too excited to sleep. When everyone in the house quieted down, she could hear the rush of the falls outside, churning and frothing, and it was so soothing. She sat up to look out the window, and everything was softly glowing with silvery streaks of moonlight. The fairies shimmered all around the property, blinking in and out like fireflies. The water in the river was black, but luminescent creatures hopped, skittered and danced in and out of the quick-moving flow. She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye, and saw a figure standing atop the cliffs, right at the edge of the falls, the silhouette clear against the moon in the background, but she squinted and blinked and the figure was gone. She decided she had imagined in, and that she was lacking in sleep. Kendra lay back down on the pillow and drifted off within minutes.


End file.
